Edward's Change
by fluffily
Summary: Edward has again gotten himself in trouble with the Volturi. He escapes, but he may not be the same species as before; can you guess? You don't have to. Just read this. The chapters are a bit long, but it's my first fanfic, so I'm begging you to R&R.
1. Chapter 1

I could not believe this. One wrong move, and I had ended up here with no idea whether the rest of the family even knew where I was. If Bella knew where I was.

I walked back and forth in my prison, waiting for something, anything, to happen. A low growl escaped my throat. A growl of sheer frustration. How could I have been so stupid? Going to Italy (and the Volturi) alone was dumb in the first place, but it was worse to do it on a mere whim so that Alice couldn't see the outcome. All because I had heard the thoughts of Aro, suggesting that they were coming for my universe, for Bella. How foolish of me not to see that it was all jut a trap. I let out another growl.

But it was too late to change things now. I could only hope that my family came in time to save me from whatever it was the Volturi had planned. I chuckled, seeing the dark, ironic humor in it all. How many times was I going to need rescuing from myself, from the Volturi? I wished I could hear my family's thoughts right now. That was the main frustration here. There was a new member of the Volturi. His power? Canceling out the abilities of anyone he wished. Lucky for the Volturi, he was loyal to them, and therefore careful not to touch them with his ability. No, that was reserved for me, their current target. They apparently felt I was getting in the way of Bella's transformation. Not to suggest I wasn't. It was just too hard to accept the necessity of it, to accept that I had to destroy the soul of my one and only love, the only reason I could accept the eternal damnation already forced upon me.

For now, though, I could only regret all that I'd done. Why couldn't I have just told my family where I was going instead of doing everything in my power to avoid them? I knew the answer. I hadn't wanted them in danger. Now I hoped to see them once more, if only to apologize. I sighed, sitting in a corner of the bare, windowless room. I tried for the fiftieth time that day to punch a whole in the wall. Of course it didn't work. Whatever it was made of, this room was too strong for even me. I put my head in my hands and sobbed tearlessly.

After what must have been a few hours, I heard Aro's hard, cruel voice somewhere nearby. I immediately stood up, bracing myself for attack and straining to catch the still-faint voices. After a while, I was able to distinguish two voices getting louder as they approached. It was indeed Aro, but who was he with? I focused harder, struggling to recall the name of that so-familiar voice. I'd heard it somewhere. But where?

I remained in the same position, still struggling, as I continued to listen. After a while, the voices came close enough for me to tell that the other voice was that of a female. Suddenly it dawned on me. Jane. Oh no, I though. No. Then I could tell what they were saying. "But Aro, I doubt torture will make him see how necessary it is to bite her. You touched him. You _know _how unlikely it is that he would ever let that happen to his pet human." "Ah, but you are wrong. He will see the light soon. Very soon." A cruel laugh. I went into convulsions. By what means would he torture me? Knowing the Volturi, it was easy to tell how bad it could get.

I was hardly prepared when the door I had tried so hard to find opened directly behind me. Before I could spin around to attack, I was pinned to the ground by Aro himself. I growled. He merely laughed as he probed my mind, obviously only curious to see what I'd been doing for the past few hours since I'd been unceremoniously trapped. I struggled to escape, but it was impossible. Aro was far too strong. I roared with anger and humiliation.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"Get off, Bastard," I hissed, snapping my teeth inches from his face. He only smiled. A mocking smile. At last he stepped away. I prepared to lunge at him, but I was back on the ground in an instant, writhing in pain. I yelled. It seemed so real. I could hardly believe it was only an illusion. After what was probably an hour or more, I was released from the control of Jane. I just lay there. There was no point in getting up. I waited for some other form of pain to ensue.

After a long while, I finally spoke. "What good will it do you to torture me? Why don't you just change Bella yourself?" Aro laughed, enjoying my helplessness. "For one thing, it greatly amuses me. But mostly because I happen to know from another member who recently simplified things by taking your power for himself that you are necessary link.…" I realized what he was getting at. "You mean," I choked on the words, "that only _I _can change her?" Aro and Jane grinned. I was a statue, stunned into silence. But then a thought occurred to me.

"I do believe that you are bluffing, foolish Aro," I crooned. He glared at me, suspicious. "What do you mean?" I smiled. "I mean that Bella has been bitten before." He gave a start, which motivated me enough to sit up. "That's right. I sucked the poison from her veins just in time. She is indeed still human." Aro smiled, and I realized I must have missed something. "No Cullen, I am not bluffing. You wasted your effort in doing that. It never would have done a thing. All the venom of all the vampires but you will hurt just as much, but it will do nothing but that. It is little more than an effective form of torture." I growled, standing up. "I don't believe you."

He smiled, red eyes glinting. "Would you like to test your theory?" I saw how he had me cornered. I sighed and collapsed, resuming my dry, tearless sobbing. "You're right. But I will **never** do it." He smiled. "You will. Now come, boy." He yanked me up. I growled and struggled against his iron grip even after I saw the futility. Jane left, and I was dragged down a seemingly endless hallway into the huge room I knew so well from my last fateful visit with Bella. Here was a much smaller crowd, consisting only of Demetri and a strange vampire I did not recognize. I only knew that he was anything but good news. I continued to fight even when I was thrown to the floor and forced to stay down. Aro held me and spoke to me in a harsh voice, "Now Edward, I will make this very simple. Either you agree to change your pet, or you become the same species as her, courtesy of our friend here." The strange vampire laughed. I stopped struggling. No. No. I had to do something. But what? This wasn't working, and both being human (and therefore incapable of protecting Bella) and changing her were out of the question, and it wouldn't help to lie when Aro had access to my thoughts as long as he held me. He combed my mind and found that indecision. "Oh yes, you are a bright one. Because you would be helpless and incapable of offering protection to yourself and your human, we would be able to wipe you both out." I groaned. It was useless. I _had _to make a decision, and fast.

Just as I considered this, I heard the sound of Emmet's booming voice erupt outside the door. I grinned. Good old Emmet. I'd never loved my brother more than I did now. He was in the room before any of my captors could stop him, holding a familiar shape. It was the monster who had left me with the frustration of not knowing others' thoughts. I was already acquainted with how to restore my ability. Shoving off a momentarily stunned Aro, I was by him in a fraction of a second. I stared into the black eyes of our captive and immediately felt the comfort of Emmet's thoughts beside me, my captor's thoughts behind me, a million tourist and residents' annoying chatter (which I immediately blocked), and, in the distance, the rest of the family's worried thoughts. I looked up at Emmet, whose face broke into a wide grin, and he dropped the load he'd been carrying. We began to run just as Aro and his "friends" recovered. I heard Aro order the stranger to pursue us. I saw in his mind what he was going to do. I knew what had to be done to save Emmet and the others. I stopped dead, nodding to Emmet when he turned, panic in his mind. 'Edward, move!!' he bellowed in his thoughts. I forced a grin. "No, Emmet. Just keep going. Wait for me in the lobby, and do_ not _do anything stupid." He nodded, obviously not wanting to obey, and continued on. I turned back, and just as I did, I felt a sharp pain in my chest. I felt the odd sensation of warmth and a beating heart before I fell, unconscious. The last thing I heard was Emmet's voice, shouting my name….

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

I woke up in the bed I had in my room. I was not alone. Carlisle was sitting on the couch. He stood up as soon as he noticed that I was awake. I had quite a few questions for him, but I just smiled and greeted him. "Edward, are you alright? You're acting like nothing has happened in the past twenty-four hours." I sighed. "I'm promise that to the best of my knowledge, I am still sane, and I do realize what happened." He didn't smile. Instead, he asked the one question I was hoping he wouldn't ask.

"Why did you just leave like that? You're not usually that stupid." My smile faded. "Carlisle, I heard Aro's thoughts. He was coming for Bella. I had to stop him, but if I told you, Bella would have come along, and so would all of you. I didn't want you _or _her in danger." I choked on the words. He stared at me. "And why did you stop and wait for Ravin to attack you?" "Who?" I was confused already. "The vampire who did this to you, Edward!!" He hissed. Oh, I thought. "He would have caught us. I stopped for Emmet to escape safely." It sounded silly when actually said aloud. Carlisle calmed down a bit when he saw my distress.

"I'm sorry. Did you learn anything while you were in there?" I made an attempt to growl, but only a low moan escaped my throat. I could feel the heat rushing to my face. "Yes. Aro said that I was the only one who could change Bella. They'll be coming for both of us soon." "Are you sure?" "Positive."

He stood up quickly, helping me onto my feet with him. I followed him out of the room, and we climbed down the stairs and into the living room, where the rest of the family waited impatiently for us. Carlisle filled them in while I struggled not to show any signs of my current condition. Bella spent the whole time watching me struggle to compose myself, to hide the panic bubbling up inside of me. She looked quite upset, sitting there and watching me suffer.

After what seemed like a millennium, Carlisle finished, and everyone scattered while Alice tried to find out when our unwanted guests would arrive. Bella immediately walked over to me. I winced, already assuming that it was to confront me, even though her face didn't give that away. "Edward, I know you feel bad, so I won't say anything about it. I just want to fill you in on the details. I was hoping you'd do the same for me."

I relaxed a bit, happy to see that she wasn't angry. I glanced around the room and concluded that it was a bit too crowded for me to be at ease. I nodded pointedly in the direction of my room. Most of the family watched us as we climbed the stairs, making me extremely uncomfortable. I could feel their eyes drilling holes in my back, now that it was no longer made of granite. We came to a stop in my room, and Bella, obviously hungry for information, sat down on the couch, patting the spot beside her. I grinned and plopped down next to her. "Bella, you may want to tell your side of the story, because mine," I paused, "isn't the most pleasant thing in the world." She smiled, trying to comfort me. It worked. "Alright. Well, when you went missing…." I winced. She stared at me for a moment before grabbing my hand and continuing, "After you went missing, we all panicked. We had no idea why or where you had gone, but after a few hours of serious struggle, Alice picked up a vision of you in a room that it was obvious you could not escape from. In the distance, she heard Aro talking with Jane, you getting in a defensive position…. That's where she lost it. We all immediately set off for Italy not seconds after Alice told us what she saw. When we got there, Alice had another vision. This time, you were passing out in one of those long hallways as a man touched you. We decided it was too dangerous to all go in for you at once, so Emmett volunteered. Edward, I hope you're thankful towards him. He was furious when he found out." I felt tears brimming in my eyes. Bella stopped talking. "Oh, Edward, do you need to be alone while you…." I wiped the tears away. "No. I'm sorry. Please, Bella, continue." She seemed a bit unwilling to cause me more unnecessary pain, but she continued anyway. "Well, I'm sure you now what happened up until you passed out. After that, Emmet says he went back for you when he heard you cry out. He found Ravin leaning over you, about ready to drink your…." I moaned. "Oops. I mean… kill you. Emmet managed to, as he puts it, separate the damned villain from his limbs." At this, I laughed. "We burned him later. It was only by luck that he got you out of there before he would have had to face a whole army of vampires." She finished just in time. Any longer and I would have vomited, which would have been quite unpleasant. "Wait," I breathed. "Where were the rest of you during all of this?" She sighed. "We were waiting in their underground passageways. Now will you tell me what happened to you from the time you left up till now?"

I nodded. "Okay, but I guarantee that you won't like it." "I don't expect to like it any more than I expected you to like my story." And so I told her everything.

By the time I was finished, she was in tears. I tried to comfort her, but I wasn't sure how without an enhanced charisma. She sighed, seeing the conflict. "Edward, you don't have to be amazingly gorgeous to comfort me effectively." I sighed. "Will this do?" She looked up at me, tears running down her face. I flashed her my most dazzling smile. She giggled. "See?" "Yeah. Come on, we don't want to keep the others waiting, now do we?" She smiled. I returned the gesture, not regretting as much the choice I'd so stupidly made.

The family was ecstatic when they saw me smiling. Emmet was especially happy. "Hey Ed, you seem to be adjusting quite well." I blushed. Emmet struggled not to laugh. "It's okay, Emmet. I'm not that sensitive. Have a sense of humor." A wide grin crossed his face as he led Bella and me to a couch. Everyone else took a seat as well.

Carlisle began talking first. "Now, as we all know, the Volturi are now after Edward and Bella. Alice just confirmed that they will be here in only a few days, so we need to prepare. Edward?" He turned to me. "Are you willing to join us in the fight?" I nodded. It took no consideration. The sooner I could protect Bella, the better. "That, then, is the first priority. I know none of you are as of yet ready for that, so I will do that in a moment." I shivered involuntarily. Still, despite the three days of pain, I knew I could do it. For Bella, if for nothing else. Jasper looked over at me, his face a mask of worry. Carlisle then filled us in a bit further with the details and main plan, after which we scattered again.

I walked over to Alice, leaving Bella to wait on the couch. Alice seemed extremely uncomfortable with my presence. "Oh. Uh, hi Edward…." I tried to ignore the discomfort in her voice. "Hey, Alice. What's wrong?" "It's nothing. Just… your blood is extremely potent." That was when I noted the blackness of her eyes. It looked like she hadn't eaten in days. No, weeks. I stammered an apology and was just turning away from her when she reached out a hand to stop me. "Don't go, Edward. I need to talk to you about something."

I nodded, not trusting me voice to work for me. Alice led me upstairs and into her room, shutting the door behind us. I sat down in a corner. Alice plopped down about a yard away. I could tell it was all she could do not to attack me. Strangely enough, I wasn't nervous about it. I trusted her to stay under control. "Yes, Alice?" She stopped breathing before she spoke. "Well, I don't mean to be nosy, but I think you should reconsider letting Carlisle bite you." I made a face. "Really, Edward. Can't you see how much happier Bella would be if she could spend a few days with you as a human? Besides, don't you want to enjoy some time like that before you go back to being one of us?" "No, Alice. Any amount of time spent as a human is made sour by the knowledge that I can't protect her."

Alice flashed me an angel's smile. That did it. My human side took over. I couldn't resist for much longer. "Ugh. Why do you have to do that?" "Because it works. Come on, Edward. They're only sending five out, and anyway, maybe we can convince the dogs to help." I stiffened. "No. I refuse to be outdone by those mutts." Another smile. I was helpless. "_Fine._ I'll do it if you promise to quit with the hypnotic smiles. It's not fair." She giggled as I sulkily stood up and stalked out of the room.

She stopped me in the hall, pulling me back in with her. God, why did she take advantage of me so? "Alice!" I whirled around. She was grinning. "What do you want?" "Nothing. Just thought I'd try that while I still could." I stalked off and sulkily walked into the living room.

Carlisle approached me. "Edward, are you ready?" I glared back. "No. I'm not going to change just yet." "Why is that?" "Let's just say that I have an evil sister and leave it at that." He nodded knowingly. "That's okay. I won't force you."

I made no attempt to reply, instead sullenly returning to the couch where Bella was still waiting. With a weary sigh, I collapsed beside her, catching her off guard and causing her to jump. "It's okay. Just me." She turned to face me when she heard the anger in my voice. "What's wrong?" "Alice," I fumed. "What do you mean, Alice? It's not her fault she and Jasper are drawn to your blood." "No, it's not that. It's that she finds it entertaining to take advantage of me." She laughed. "Let me guess. She convinced you not to let Carlisle bite you." "Yes, as a matter of fact, she did. And _I_ fail to see the humor in it." She held back another giggle before interrupting my increased sulking. "You know, that reminds me of something you do to me all the time." That one really caught me off guard.

The heat rushed to my face-again. Another laugh. This one came from Emmet. "Wow. You blush more often than Bella." I turned to face him. I must have been pretty dark at that point. I sighed. Being human sucked. I finally relaxed enough for the blood in my face to drain a bit. Emmet laughed. "Ah, you know I'm joking, right?" I glared at him, putting a good amount of venom in it. "I'm tired. I think I'll go rest a bit," I muttered.

Once I was safely in my room with the door locked, I dragged myself over to the bed. Of course, I had absolutely no idea how to sleep, so I just laid down and tried to relax. The next thing I knew, I was somewhere far away, dreaming about Bella. Ha, I thought. I knew it.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Someone was knocking on my door. "Edward? Please come out. I'm really sorry." It was Alice. I struggled into a sitting position. "Go away." She sounded hurt. "No. I'll break down the door if you don't open it in right now." I considered that for a moment. I finally decided it wouldn't do me any good to have a broken door, so I called out to her. "Fine. Just relax for a minute." I got up and changed my clothes. It took me forever. Why did humans have to be so slow? I finally got to the door and let Alice in.

She danced into the room, moving extraordinarily fast. I wondered if that was how it looked to Bella when I moved. She was lying down on the bed before I even had a chance to turn around. I walked over to the bed and sat down. She was eager to ask me something, that much was clear. I braced myself.

"Edward?" I sat in stony silence. Alice seemed to consider this an invitation to keep talking. "I was wondering… would you mind staying human 'till after the wedding?" I stared at her. Geez, this girl never let up. "Alice, do you really consider that an apology?" She stared at the bedspread for quite a while before answering. "Please, Edward?" "No" "Please?" "No." "But _Edward_, it'll be fun." "No." "You're mean." "Good." Alice then tried a wide variation of angelic grins and smiles, which I quickly came to despise. "Sorry Alice, but it won't do you any good." Finally she gave up, to my great satisfaction.

I grinned. "Anything else, Alice?" She let out a low growl. I got the idea that I'd made her angrier than I intended. "I still have more strength in one finger than you have in your entire body. Shall I resort to that?"

I grimaced. "I highly doubt that you actually would." "Try me." "Fine. Go right on ahead." She glared at me before admitting defeat. "Sorry. I'm leaving now," she muttered. I chuckled quietly as I watched her stand up - and then she was gone.

I decided to listen to music for a while, but it wasn't long before I noticed a gnawing pain in my stomach. I took it to mean I was hungry, so I gathered up the courage to stumble down the stairs for the millionth time that day (Or days. How long I had slept, I didn't know.) and ask Esme for something to eat. She smiled sympathetically at me before she stood up and began cooking something. It smelled good. I hadn't noticed how her cooking had smelled before, because, after all, I only drank blood then.

It was ready fairly soon. I saw that Esme had made a few sausage links, three scrambled eggs, and a huge pile of hash browns. I assumed that's what it was, anyway. I could only guess with the knowledge I had from various times and places of the past hundred years, since I had had no reason to know much about them previously.

I struggled for a moment, trying to figure out how to eat something that wasn't the blood of some poor, unfortunate animal straight from its dead body. After about half an hour and a good number of curses, I managed to get it right.

When I was finished eating (There was nothing left on my plate.), I stood up to find Bella. As I did so, Emmet came up to me from behind and put his icy hand on my shoulder. I jumped, letting loose a yell as I did so. He burst into huge fits of his booming laughter. "It's okay, Edward. I didn't mean to scare you. Why so jumpy?" I was so startled that when I spun around, intending to be as mean as possible, all I could manage was a slightly annoyed greeting.

He grabbed my wrist and tried to pull me as softly as possible back towards the kitchen chairs. I refused at first, but I was still so close to my brother (And who could blame him for being amused?) that I eventually gave up, not wanting to offend him. I sat down across from him and tried to start a conversation.

"Er…. So, Emmet, how long was I asleep?" He grinned. "Couldn't have been too long, bro. You only stomped up into your room a couple hours ago." I struggled to grin back, but it must have looked a bit strangled. "Where's Bella?" "Out on the porch. She wants to see you." I stood up abruptly. "Do you mind?" "Not if you can wait just a few more seconds." "Fine." I remained standing, unable to contain my eagerness to get to Bella. I guess I was a bit worried, though she had more reason to worry about me than I about her. "How long did Alice convince you to stay human?" I groaned. "She didn't get all that specific. Just that I should stay this way until after the fight." Emmet looked disappointed. "Aw, but I wanted to see how you act as a newborn." Damn, I thought. I'd quite forgotten to take that into consideration. My face gave that away pretty well. "Oh. Sorry, I didn't mean to upset you…." "It's okay. Alice did want me human for the wedding, but I refused." I grinned. "Ha. So that's why she's been so angry the past few hours." "Speaking of which, Emmet, do you mind if I go talk to her?" "Go ahead. She's up in her room." We exchanged grins as I left.

"Alice? It's me. Do you mind if I come in?" I heard her sigh. The door opened almost immediately. "Listen, Edward. If you're not interested in staying human for long enough to please Bella, not to mention yourself, you don't need to apologize." "I know. But I do owe you an apology for being so rude earlier."

I paused, unsure of how to continue. Suddenly, her face went blank. It was only a few seconds before the vision ended. She opened her eyes and grinned. "You want to reconsider the whole human thing, huh?" I nodded, embarrassed. "I don't think I could stand to be a new-born again so soon." "Oh. Well, how long will you go?" "A month or so." Alice was ecstatic. "Really? Oh my goodness, Edward, thank you so much!" "Wait." I put up my hand to silence her. "You will need to promise to try not to take advantage of me. I can only stand so much." She nodded her head. "Good. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go see Bella."

Without another word, I turned and practically ran out to the porch. Bella looked up, her anxious face melting into joy when she saw the smile playing upon my lips. "Hello, Bella. Is there something you wanted to talk to me about?" "Yes, actually. I was wondering if you wanted to come with me to La Push." I tensed up automatically. "Why?" "For one thing, I don't want Charlie to think I've been kidnapped, and for another, I just want to see Jacob." I ground my teeth. My expression was pained. "Bella," I whispered, "I don't know if I really want to be surrounded by a bunch of dog-er, werewolves, when I'm like this." She gave me a sympathetic look. "That's okay. Maybe we can go down to the meadow when I get back." She stood up and started walking in the direction of her truck. I watched for a few moments, wild conflict raging in my head. Eventually, the need to be with Bella won over me. By the time I decided to join her, she was already climbing into her truck. "Wait!" She looked over at me. Forcing a smile, I ran over to her. Wow. How much more frustratingly slow could I get?

"I never said I didn't want to come." I grinned more naturally this time. She climbed into the driver's seat. "What are you waiting for? Get in." "Me? Ride in there again? Not likely. If I go, we ride in my car." She glared at me. I smiled with as much charisma as I could work up. She glared at me again before sighing and joining me in the Volvo. "Edward, since you're human and therefore capable of sustaining serious injuries, do you suppose you might slow down a bit as long as you're driving?" I smiled to myself. Chuckling, I replied, "not a chance." I could just barely hear her reply. "Stupid, shiny Volvo owner." I grinned again and sped away from the house, happily watching the speedometer needle indicate a rising speed while Bella ground her teeth beside me.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

We were there in only fifteen minutes. I was nervous, to say the very least. Jacob saw us coming, and he grinned when he saw Bella. He turned to me, and he obviously wanted to wring my neck. It was a pity that for once, it was actually an option being presented to him. "Bella, why is the leech here? It better be good, because he is in violation of the treaty." I glared. Bella looked to me, and I nodded. I wasn't going to be the one to say it. "Er, Jake…. No one's violating anything unless you have a no humans rule." I smiled as politely as I could without vomiting.

Jake obviously didn't believe her, so he turned to me. I nodded. "Uh, wow. Okay, so…. How the hell did this happen?" He grinned wolfishly. I spoke before Bella. "The Volturi have a new member with an interesting ability." Jacob obviously didn't know how to react. "So you _asked _them to do this?" "No. In fact, they'll be here either tomorrow or the day after, and since I won't be fighting, my family was curious. Will you help us out with this? It is for Bella. You can fight and just pretend it isn't to help me." Jacob paused before answering. "When will you change Bella?" I sighed. "When I'm back…. In a month. I am apparently the only one who can change her. I know I'll be able to do it somehow."

That was the wrong thing to say. He began shaking uncontrollably. He growled deeply, grinding his teeth. I somehow didn't feel the hate I usually felt for him when he was like this, so I hesitated before stepping forward. The growling increased in strength, and so did the shaking. That didn't stop me. I reached forward, touching him lightly on the shoulder. He winced, but the shaking gradually stopped. I smiled. He looked ashamed, but there was an underlying emotion I could only guess the identity of; it was gratitude. Friendship, even. I stepped back. Bella looked up at me, just as shocked as the dog.

I shrugged. "I don't feel that hate I usually feel towards you. It's odd, really." He struggled to smile. "Um, thanks, leech… er, human." "Call me Edward." "I think I can convince the others to help you guys." I grinned. "That's cool, Jake. Thanks." They must have been pretty weirded out. I know I was.

He extended a hand. "Truce?" I took it. "For now, dog." I winked. Bella touched my shoulder, softly spinning me around till I was face to face with her. She smiled. "Thanks." "No problem." We turned back to Jacob, now a friend, if only for a month. "Well Jake, we'd better get started." He grinned. "Sounds good. We can drive in my car."

Obviously, I was missing something. They noticed my confusion. "It's okay, Edward," Bella said," you'll see soon enough what we're talking about." I followed them to what I remembered was Jacob's Rabbit. He climbed in the front seat. Bella took a spot in the back, and I joined her, not quite ready for prolonged contact with the dog.

We drove at a frustratingly slow pace, so it took us almost fifteen minutes to reach our destination when it could have taken us only five with me behind the wheel. We arrived somewhere I didn't recognize. It was pretty much just a huge cliff overlooking the ocean. I climbed out of the car after Bella. She grinned up at me. "Ever been cliff-diving, Edward?" My breath caught in my throat. "You're taking me cliff diving!!"

Jacob overheard the conversation. Laughing, he came over and patted me on the shoulder. "Yeah. It'll be fun. Besides, Bella's done it. If she can do it and live, then so can you." I could feel my legs weaken. "Oh God. Oh God. Why are you subjecting me to this torture, Bella?" She looked innocently up at me. "Please, Edward? Won't you try it just once?" I steadied myself. "I wouldn't mind if it weren't for the fact that I'm so much more fragile than usual. Hell, I'm almost as fragile as you." She sighed, impatient. "Well, suit yourself, Edward, but I'm going to jump." She ran before I could touch her, leaping off the edge and causing my heart to skip a good number of beats. I screamed and took off after her. "Damn it, Bella!" I hit the icy water with a gasp. This wouldn't have hurt so much if I'd been a vampire with an iceberg for a body. Yet, somehow, I was glad to be free of that curse, to feel the way a normal human being should. I came up gasping. I spotted Bella a few yards away. Allowing a huge wave to propel me toward her, I yelled, "Bella, why did you have to just jump like that? I hate it when you act so reckless." "Sorry. It worked, though." "What worked?" "It got you to jump."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

I wanted to be mad, but I couldn't bring myself to feel that way. I sighed, knowing that Bella probably couldn't hear me anyway, and took off towards shore. She followed, and we made it there in a reasonably small amount of time.

The three of us jumped off that cliff several times before we returned home, and I was sure that I now had a new favorite sport.

We thanked Jacob, said goodbye, and started home. In the car, Bella said, "So. Do you want to go to the meadow, Edward?" I chuckled. "Of course."


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I own nothing, no matter how much it hurts my heart to say so

**A/N: I own nothing, no matter how much it hurts my heart to say so. Also, I decided to try some different POV's. R&R please. By the way, I'm sorry about the shortness. I was eager to get this entered.**

**BPOV: **It was mid-afternoon by the time we finished that long, treacherous hike. I was seriously wishing Edward was a vampire capable of running extraordinary speeds and carrying me with him, but I was also happy for him. He seemed glad to be able to enjoy a reprieve from what he considered "eternal damnation." I didn't see it that way. I saw it as a blessing, but, then again, I was a freak of nature.

"Bella?" We were lying side by side in the grass.

"Uh-huh?"

"What are you thinking?" His eyes smoldered just as much as ever. I was momentarily stunned.

"Er, nothing much, Edward. It's not important."

He sighed. "Bella, when will you learn that I don't take that for an answer?"

"I won't. But I guess I'll tell you. Just promise not to be mad."

"Ah. So it's that bad?"

"No, but I can't be sure of how you'll respond."

"Shoot."

"I was thinking about how you must be feeling."

"Explain."

Reluctantly, I continued, "well, I think you must enjoy the reprieve, and that makes me happy. But I also miss the way you usually are, too."

"In what ways?"

"The running, the eyes, and…." I paused, not wanting to continue. "Please don't make me say."

"Come on, Bella. Please? Nothing you say could ever hurt me." I doubted that.

"I miss the way you might just attack me at any moment."

I expected him to be angry, sad, anything but the reaction I got. He chuckled. "No sense of self preservation. None whatsoever." He played with my hair. His close proximity still made my heart beat uncontrollably.

"I miss everything else, too, though." He stopped and looked up at me, his eyes narrowing in confusion. Wow. Did I really just say that aloud? Ugh.

When he said nothing, I spoke. "That came out so wrong." I looked up at him, but he was sitting up, looking in the other direction. "Edward? I didn't mean it like that. I couldn't be happier to see you this way. Warm, happy…." He turned to me. His face was a deep shade of red, and tears were streaming down his face. I stopped talking, surprised to see Edward like that.

He smiled. It touched his eyes, if only just barely. "It's okay, Bella. I don't know what's wrong."

"How do you feel? Emotionally, I mean."

"Sad, confused, a little angry, and a lot scared."

"Angry? Scared?"

"Bella, I do enjoy the reprieve, but I also feel the way anyone would feel after being shoved into a strange body with strange needs and strange feelings. I didn't ask for this. I will kill the Volturi for it. For what I went through. As for the fear, I suppose I just don't like the risk of being so easily… done away with." I shuddered. The very thought was sickening.

"I-I'm sorry."

"What would you have to apologize about?"

"For upsetting you."

"You didn't do it." I looked into his eyes. They were just beginning to lose their redness from the crying. "I love you, and I don't care what you are." He smiled. His face was back to the slightly darkened color he'd adopted from the… change. He was still pale. "Good, I'm glad." Suddenly, we leaned towards each other. His face was unreadable. I could just see the peacefulness, the joy. And then, we kissed. It was not chaste, not in any way guarded. It lasted a long, long time. He was the one to break it up. He leaned on my shoulder for support, gasping for breath. "Forgot to breath." He grinned. So did I.

"Edward?" He looked up. He was just as "drop-dead" gorgeous as always. I couldn't stop noticing. "Hm?"

"Do we need to be getting back?"

"No. I'm not ready to go back just yet. Do you have your phone?" I guessed what he was thinking. "Yeah. Do you think they'll mind?"

"Doubt it. They might even like it better than letting us go back alone. They don't as of yet know how much of a danger magnet I am." I laughed. "Do you mind if I say that you have a bigger blushing problem than even me?" He grimaced. "I know."

I handed him the phone and he dialed the number. "Carlisle. It's me. Where are all of you?" I couldn't hear the reply. "Yes, we're fine. M-hm. We had a good time." He grinned. "Cliff diving. The dog and I have a truce. It's hard to hate each other when we aren't natural enemies." Another pause. "We were hoping that we might get a lift. It's getting dark out quickly, and the two of us would be a likely pair to get into trouble out here at night." He grinned. "The meadow." I smiled encouragingly. "Yes, that meadow. See you soon." He shut the phone and handed it back to me. "They'll be here within the hour."

He laid down and beckoned for me to join him. I did so willingly. We remained there until we heard the rustle of branches and looked up to see Alice and Jasper emerge from the trees. Edward stiffened a bit when he saw Jasper, but he relaxed quickly. "Hello. You didn't take long." Alice smiled. Jasper tried to mirror the action, but he had his teeth clenched, making it hard. Trying not to attack, I guessed. Edward obviously realized that.

**APOV: **Jasper whispered to me when we saw Edward and Bella lying there in that meadow. I knew they couldn't hear us. "Alice, I'm already having second thoughts."

"You can do it. I can see that." I said this as I saw us safely arriving home, Edward blushing furiously. It was good to have this ability. Jasper was reassured. I purposely reached up and rustled a branch, trying to make sure we didn't startle Edward. He and Bella looked up immediately. I saw Edward stiffen when he saw Jasper. Jasper didn't miss it either. Edward saw the look of sadness flicker across Jasper's face, and he immediately relaxed. Bella watched only Edward, though she did notice us as well. They must have had a good time, though I couldn't be sure. I purposely had avoided any visions of them, not wanting to intrude on their personal time. Of course, they always had a good time when they were together. It was like Jasper and me. Inseparable. Jasper clenched his teeth. Even I noticed the waves of the delicious scent of Edward's blood rolling off of him. He smiled. It was genuine. "Hello. You didn't take long." I smiled, and Jasper did too. It was strained, though. Still, Edward seemed to appreciate the effort. He stood up with Bella and joined us. Wow, I thought. He smelled great. Jasper was sending off waves of emotion. He was making the atmosphere tense. I nudged him, and he stopped immediately. Bella looked at him as if to say "It's okay. We understand." He smiled. Edward stepped toward him, but he stopped him with a desperate warning growl when he reached out his hand. He drew it back quickly, muttering an apology.

I spoke up. I hate it when everyone gets this tense. "Alright. Edward, do you mind if I take you and Jasper takes Bella? He wouldn't be able to stand your blood for long if you got that close." Edward looked reluctantly at Bella. She nodded. "I trust him, Edward." Jasper calmed him, and Edward spoke. "Okay. Let's just go."

I grabbed him and held him like I was cradling a baby. Jasper did the same with Bella, and we were off. I could feel Edward's skin getting hot, and I stared straight ahead, not wanting him to feel too uncomfortable. He gasped out my name, and I looked down at him. He was a very deep shade of red. Even his arms. He was grinning, though. "Wow. That feels good, despite the awkward position." I laughed despite myself. He joined in. Bella was looking at Edward curiously. He nodded to her. She smiled. Wow. They had a great connection when both of them were the same species. He realized this, but I knew he would be a vampire again as planned. So would Bella. It was a matter of weeks. Until then, I thought devilishly, we could all enjoy the constant blushing. I was so glad he couldn't hear that.

And then, too soon, we were there. I let Edward down, and he immediately ran over to Bella. They hugged and then looked around, noticing at once that only Edward's Volvo was there. Jasper spoke. "We ran here, so we didn't need a car. We'll meet you at the house." He turned, grabbed my arm, and we ran into the trees.

**EPOV: **I put my hand on Bella's shoulder and watched Alice and Jasper make a hasty exit. I hoped that it wouldn't be this way all month. I turned to Bella, smiling wistfully. She grabbed my hand and led me into the Volvo. I was still extremely relaxed. It could have been Jasper's doing, but I was sure it was the work of a good day in the meadow. We sat in the car for a long time, silent. Bella broke the silence. "That was fun. Are you tired? Hungry?" I nodded. I was. "Quite." She smiled. "How about an Italian restaurant?" I laughed. "Oh yes. How about we go to the one in Port Angeles?"


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Here is the third chapter

**A/N: Here is the third chapter. I am suffering (Yes, suffering.) from the cursed writer's block, so you can expect a slight delay on the fourth chapter. I have already decided, though, that I will make a prequel and a sequel to this story when it's done, so we can all look forward to that. And, I have the suspicion that I will be forced to explain the big idea of using a waitress for a POV. The answer, my friends, is that I am referring now to the original series by Stephenie Meyer (Not me, of course. I'm not **_**that **_**creative.), during which a waitress named Amber flirts unsuccessfully with our beloved Edward when he and Bella go to the Italian restaurant in Port Angeles. This is her. She's back again; ready to tell us more about Edward's change. Sorry if she sounds a little… dumb. Just trying to interpret what Edward calls "mindless chatter." Anyway, she won't narrate for long. I do **_**not **_**enjoy writing from a mindless human's point of view, especially not hers.**

**WPOV (Waitress's Point Of View): **Ugh. Work here sucks, with the exception of being able to meet hot guys and make a buck. It's been a slow day, and I am stuck here until ten. I don't know why I don't just quit this job. No, wait. I do. It must be because I'm single and desperate for a man. The only way I might get one is working as a waitress. The only boy I've ever really wanted was that one who came in with that girl almost a year ago. I think I'd do anything to have him. His beautiful, tousled, bronze hair, that face… wait, what? Oops, looks like the old man at table three is finally ready to leave….

_**One Hour Later….**_

Wow. Wow. Wow, wow, wow. That guy from a year ago is here! Like, Here! Oh my god, I have to be the one to serve him. There he is… wait, is he with a girl? Ah, he is. There go my chances of a hot boyfriend. Still, maybe he'd dump her for me. I could always try. I think I will. Better go talk to him. Oops, I mean them.

"Hello, my name is Amber, and I will be your server for tonight." I think I sound pretty upbeat. Does my hair look good? I'll check as soon as I have them seated. "Please, follow me…." Whoops, I just fell forward. Ugh, stupid heels! The boy, he just leaned forward. He caught me! Wow! Wait, why isn't his girlfriend upset? She should be. A normal girl would. Well, I think I should seat them in a sort of private spot. He likes that, right? He asked for it last time. I remember. "Perhaps something more private?" He'd said those exact words. He seems to like the seclusion of the table. I'll ask if he-er, they-want anything to drink. "Can I get you anything to drink?" The boy looks to the girl. She grins. He smiles up at me. "Two cokes."

**EPOV: **"Two cokes," I muttered up at the waitress. It figured, we had the same one as before, and on the way here, Bella and I decided to get the same things we did before. It was like a reenactment of the fateful night the two of us shared here so many days ago-a year, in fact. "So, Edward, do you know how to properly use these alien utensils?" Bella's sweet voice interrupted my thoughts as she held up a fork. I looked up at her, hoping that my face was enough to take her breath away. "Hah. Funny. Don't worry, I already suffered through that lesson." She giggled. "Good, because I'm not a good teacher."

It wasn't long before the waitress came back and asked eagerly if she could get us anything. Bella laughed and spoke to her. "We'll have two orders of the mushroom ravioli."

"Okay, I'll have that right out." It was obvious that she was struggling not to say something cruel to Bella as she walked away.

I looked at Bella, and she laughed. "I feel a strong dislike for her." I chuckled. "Well, Bella. I think I know why." I leaned towards her. She hugged me. "I think you do. You have heard her thoughts." I pulled away. "Oh. Sorry, Edward."

"I forgive you. It's just a bit of a shocker, still." The waitress appeared again. "Here you are. Enjoy. Holler if you need me." She turned away quickly. I guessed that she had given up on the flirting idea. I turned to the food. It smelled good. I took a bite, chewing slowly. Bella watched me intently. I grinned. "Mmm. Dirt."

It worked. She smiled. "Hah. I dare you to eat it all."

"You're on."

I was done before her. I had eaten everything. She was a few bites behind. "Time to go?" I must admit, I was eager to leave, mostly because I looked forward to a slow drive with my fiancée.

"Yup. I wonder if the waitress will even want to come back so we can leave." I chuckled. The waitress appeared, looking upset and unwillingly handed us the bill. I quickly paid, and we stood up together, walking quickly out of the restaurant. We climbed into the Volvo, and I touched Bella's shoulder, frustrated that I couldn't hear her pulse quicken. I knew it was, though. "Bella, I'll do you a huge favor. Today, we drive slow." She smiled.

"Are you serious, or is this a cruel joke?"

"I promise that I am as serious as serious gets." She was overjoyed.

"Oh, thank you, Edward!"

I blushed lightly, nodding. "You're welcome."

I hit the gas pedal, struggling to stop myself from accelerating. We slowly left the town, going a little bit below the speed limit. It was frustrating, but it was for Bella.

**BPOV: **I was amazed to see that Edward had finally come to his senses. Driving slow? Anyone who knows Edward knows that he doesn't often do that. "Okay, what is it?" He looked innocently at me.

"Why, I have no idea what you could possibly mean."

"Don't be silly, Edward. You _never _drive at a reasonable speed."

"That's a moot point."

"No, it's not."

He pulled over and looked at me. "I feel that you ought to be comfortable when you drive with me." I glared at him. He held my gaze, but it wasn't long before he flinched.

"You and I both know that isn't it." I challenged.

"I… don't know why, Bella. I simply don't feel the urge to move as quickly as usual." He looked at me, eyes a mixture of confusion and discomfort.

"Is that really all? You make it sound like a big deal." He stared at me.

"Yes, that's all. I just don't like this. I'm not enjoying the odd bits and pieces that come with being a human, and I don't enjoy talking about it. With you, I only manage to do it after you encourage me and I get started." He blushed, grimacing. I reached up and touched his face, feeling the unusual warmth.

He smiled softly. I put my hand in his. Just then, my cell phone went off. I nodded at him and took away my hand to grab the phone. It was Alice. I flipped it open and answered.

"Bella? Is that you? Oh my god, where's Edward? I need to talk to him now!"

I was surprised. "Alice, he's right here. I'll give him the phone." I handed the phone to him. In doing so, our hands touched. His hand was _hot_. It was practically on fire. He looked at me, eyes filled with fear. "Alice? What is it?" He listened for a minute. His eyes widened with shock, terror, and anger.

"They _what_?!" He choked on his own words. "I'll be there as soon as possible. Is there anything you can do?" He listened and nodded, eyes burning. "Bye." He shut the phone and handed it back to me, careful not to let me touch his skin.

"Edward? What happened?" Tears were rolling down his face, and his shoulders were shaking. I got an idea, but I shrugged it off. That couldn't happen.

"Bella…." He was obviously horrified. "The Volturi have a few new members. They aren't coming. They're messing with me long distance." I looked into his eyes. I saw something in them that reminded me of Jake.

"You aren't becoming a…." He nodded, wincing as the tremors rolled through him again.

"Werewolf," he whispered.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I know, right? How could I do that to Edward? I don't know, it's for the sake of a good and exciting story. Please forgive me. By the way, I still don't like Jacob. This means nothing for **_**that **_**mutt. I like the new mutt better….**

**BPOV: **I gasped. I barely noticed that we were almost to his house. I just wanted the Volturi to leave him alone. He didn't deserve this. I watched as another tremor ran through him. "Bella?" I knew what he needed. "It's okay, Edward. I still love you for what you are." The tremors calmed slightly. He nodded.

"Thank you." We were at his house. Alice appeared by the door. Her eyes were panicked.

"Edward, I'm sorry. I should have been able to catch this." He growled. Alice pulled him out of the car. He struggled, but she dragged him inside the house. I followed, scared. The whole family was inside. Carlisle hurried over to where Alice began to struggle to hold Edward down. He looked at Edward, eyes calm.

"Edward, calm down. We can stop this if you do." The shaking took up his whole body. He winced, struggling to fight it. He looked at me, eyes more panicked than anyone else in the room's. Tears brimmed in my eyes.

"Edward, calm down. _Please_." He opened his mouth and shouted to me. "Hurry, Bella! Leave the room! I can't stop it!" I stood, rooted to the spot. "Bella!" Finally, I found myself run out to the porch.

**EPOV: ** I struggled to calm down. I watched Bella run away, and I suddenly felt myself changing, changing. I looked wildly around. What the hell was going on here? Everything seemed so much smaller. Alice was looking up at me, trying to talk to me. I couldn't hear her. All I could hear was a deep growling. I struggled to stay controlled. God, Carlisle, hold me down. I have to calm down. I felt someone's cold hands grab me from behind. It was Emmet. I struggled to stop myself from attacking. The others all grabbed me then. I was firmly held down. I faintly knew I was struggling, and then everything went black.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

I opened my eyes. I was still in the living room. Carlisle, Emmet, Jasper, and Bella watched me cautiously. I realized with a jolt that I was still a wolf. I whined, struggling to change. How? I had no idea, but I could tell that the rage was fading. _Yes,_ I willed it, _go._ I felt myself calm down completely. I looked at Jasper, wishing I could convey to him in some way the gratitude I felt. He smiled. I felt myself change. It was like a fire had been put out. Bella knelt beside me. I was lying on the floor, covered with a blanket. I tried my voice.

"What…." Bella smiled, but her eyes were concerned.

"You were only out for a few minutes." She stroked my head. I noticed how cool her hands felt to me. My skin was still hot. I looked at the concerned faces of my family.

"I'm sorry." Emmet smiled, and Jasper nodded, sending me various emotions. I sighed. "Is it irreversible?" Carlisle lowered his head. "Yes."

I shouldn't have been surprised, but I choked anyway. I could feel tears welling up in my eyes. Carlisle reached out an arm to touch me, but I could feel a growl tear from my chest at his close proximity. He immediately withdrew his hand, sighing.

"I can't help it," I sobbed. Carlisle stood, beckoned to Jasper and Emmet, and in the blink of an eye, they were gone. Bella laid down beside me, still stroking the top of my head.

"Do you need to talk about it?" I nodded. I noticed I was shaking a bit, so I focused on calming down. It worked, to an extent.

"I still love you. You know that." I nodded my head and stared at her.

"Bella, I only worry that I might lose it when I'm around you. I could hurt you."

"I don't think that will happen. I trust you."

I was reassured by that. Only then did I become completely aware that my clothes had been ripped apart by my sudden loss of control. I also noticed that a spare set of clothes was lying beside my head. I looked at Bella, who saw in my eyes the message I didn't want to say aloud. She nodded and walked out to give me some privacy.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

I stood up. I wasn't wearing a shirt. It was uncomfortable, too much like something Jake would do. Had done, in fact.

"Bella? Alice? Rose?" They all appeared at the head of the stairs.

"I think I need to go talk to Jacob and the… others." Rose glared silently and walked away without a word.

"What's wrong with her?" I already knew.

"She doesn't want to hate you, but it's hard. You know Rose."

I climbed the stairs. Alice didn't seem to be that upset by my presence. I was calm enough to feel fine around her. I smiled warmly at Bella.

"Can I come, Edward?"

"Not this time. But don't worry, I won't be gone long."

She nodded, accepting my decision. Alice watched me anxiously. "Can you handle going out, Edward?"

"I have to."

"Okay. Hurry, then. They'll be expecting you." I hated to think so, but I knew she was right. "Bye. I'll be home soon." And I was off.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

**JPOV: **I didn't understand. The werewolves were supposed to have all already phased, but here we were, waiting for someone (whoever it could be) to come.

I wasn't prepared to see the former bloodsucker emerge from the trees. He was obviously the one we had felt earlier. He smiled halfheartedly and stepped forward.

"I know you probably have no idea what's going on here. Allow me to explain. The Volturi have another member with another crippling power. Must I say more?" Sam stared blankly at him. My face must have mirrored his. He sighed. "You're going to make me change, aren't you?" We all nodded. He stepped back into the trees. I heard a ripping sound, and out of the woods emerged a big, bronze wolf. Every one of us was stunned.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Don't ask me what evil feeling led to my doing that to Edward. I still feel guilty. I assume that some of you must be wondering whether or not Edward will imprint on someone else. No, he won't. I feel that it's safe to say Edward has already imprinted on Bella. I am **_**not **_**going to break those two up.**

**SPOV: **My first feeling for this bloodsucker was sorrow. He was so out of his element. I nodded to the others, and we phased. I focused for a moment, but couldn't hear him. He looked at us, green eyes skeptical. We couldn't hear his thoughts. He wasn't the same as us. He was just a vampire that had gone through several changes. Suddenly, I heard his voice. The others must have, too, because I wasn't the only one looking wildly around.

He was laughing. "I see my old power comes in handy here and now, in the least likely circumstances." He was grinning. It wasn't as wolf-like as I expected. There was something very leech-like in it.

"What are you taking about?" It was Embry.

"I used to be able to read minds-as a vampire. I'm sure you all knew that. I think that I have a similar ability. I can read your minds, and I can allow you to hear me. I believe that what you hear, though, is my choice. I know it isn't just wolfishness because I can hear a few other thoughts. I won't have any other conversations, though, until we finish."

I spoke. "Why did you come to see us?"

"I assumed that you must have felt me touch your minds earlier, so I decided that I may as well come to explain what was happening rather than leave you all to wonder what had happened." I nodded.

"And to tell you that I do not consider myself one of you. I consider myself a Cullen, no matter what happens." Jacob stepped forward.

"Get back, Jake," I warned. He struggled to continue forward until he was face to face with the Cullen. He nodded at me. "Sam, we need to talk one on one. Have everyone tune out my thoughts." I growled, but he matched it with a deeper one. I relented. It was safe enough. A new one of us against Jake was sure to end with Jake on top. He waited for all of us to leave, and I beckoned to the others, who hesitated, but went anyway.

"Careful, Jake."

"I'll take good care of him." It was the bronze wolf.

"Good, I hope for your own sake that you do." And with that, I turned and left with the others.

**EPOV: **I watched the pack leave, and then turned to Jacob. He was looking at me expectantly. "What is it?" He didn't sound angry; he was asking an honest question.

"What do you think?"

"You know very well what I think." He laughed.

"Very good point. Maybe I want to talk to you alone because I don't appreciate being surrounded by all those dogs."

He was contemplating whether to say something. He decided to. "You know, you are one of those dogs you hate so much, like it or not." I shuddered. "And I hate it."

"If you need any help with the… wolfiness, you can always come to me."

I nodded. I let him feel the gratitude. "Thanks, Jake."

"Is Bella expecting you home at any special time?" I cursed. "No, but I said I wouldn't be long." He nodded. "Then go see her. If you brought a car, we'll watch it and you can get it later. Just go as is for now." I growled, thinking about not wanting to depend on this curse, and bolted.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

I liked the feeling of running, despite the shape I had to do it in. I howled. I hated to do that, but it felt so good. I saw the house. Bella was sitting on the porch steps. I stepped into her view. She stood up and let out a little scream, but then she looked closer. _That's right, Bella. It's me. Just look in my eyes._ She couldn't hear me. I couldn't hear her. Some things never changed. She stepped towards me cautiously.

"Edward?" I growled lightly. She ran to me, cheerfully embracing me. I waited for someone else to come so I could communicate with her. She got down and looked in my eyes. I searched her face for some feeling of repulsion. I saw nothing, of course. Alice appeared by Bella. She laughed. She was thinking of what it would be like with me as both a vampire and a werewolf. I shuddered, speaking to her in my new way. _I don't like to be reminded of that. _She looked at me, surprised.

"Did you just…."

_Yeah. Only in your mind, though._

Bella watched us, confused. _Tell her about it, Alice. _She looked up at Bella. "He can communicate with thoughts. It works two ways." Her eyes lit up.

"Edward? Can you hear me?"

I turned my head to look at Alice. _I need to phase back. Tell her no, and bring me a fresh set of clothes. _She nodded her head, stood, and beckoned me to follow her into the house. I struggled to leave the doorway intact as I shrugged inside. Bella followed behind me, confused. I thought I sensed that she was angry with me. I sat and looked at her. Alice appeared and handed me a fresh set of clothes. I grabbed them in between my teeth and struggled into a bathroom. After a bit of a struggle, I shut the door. Focusing, I changed back.

**BPOV: **I was happy to see Edward, but I was confused and almost ready to be angry because he was practically ignoring me. I convinced myself that there was a reasonable explanation for it, and so I went to wait outside the bathroom for him.

He came out looking sad. I ran into his arms. He was wearing a shirt, and he looked relieved at my reaction. "Edward, Charlie thinks I'm here spending the night with Alice, so we have plenty of time to talk." He nodded. He must have been exhausted. He grabbed my hand, leading me up into his room. He collapsed gratefully on the bed. I sat beside him.

"Sorry about earlier. I couldn't do much in the way of communication with you."

"It's okay."

"Were you angry with me earlier?"

I blushed. "Almost. I was just confused. But you explained, and I know it isn't your fault." He growled. "I'm only waiting one more day. By this time tomorrow, I will be on my way to being a vampire."

"Why don't we both just let Carlisle bite us at the same time?" He looked at me, confused. "Why? It wouldn't do anything to you except hurt."

I had no clue what he meant. "What the hell do you mean?" He looked like I'd just slapped him. "You mean you don't know? God, how could I forget that? Bella, only I can change you."

I smiled. This wasn't bad. It had him cornered. He had to change me, whether he liked it or not. As if he had read my thoughts, he growled. His hand started shaking. "Ah! Why does this just keep sneaking up on me like that? I hate it!" I held his hand. He looked up at me, eyes grateful, the frenzy fading. "It's okay. Stay calm." He smiled, gripping my hand.

"I can as long as you're there to help." He was sure of himself, positive that he could live with the curse.

"You didn't change much." He grinned. "That's good. I just wish that all of this would stop. I doubt that they could do much more to me, though, so we're safe." I sighed. "It's not fair. Why didn't they just leave you as… you? They're only delaying my change, which is what they want." He sighed. "I provoked them. They want to torture me as much as possible to get their point across."

"What is their point?"

"That they are not to be defied. It's a punishment."

"So the only way to stop them is to become a vampire and bite me?"

"Pretty much."

I sighed. It made sense, in a cruel sort of way. We remained silent for a long time. Edward spoke first. "Bella, I'm exhausted. Would you mind if we turned in for the night?"

"No, of course not. I'll take the couch."

"Why don't you sleep with Alice?"

"I want to stay with you."

He sighed. "I see no point in arguing. Either you'd win or I'd lose control."


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: I noticed that I had a review suggesting that I include the issue of imprinting in the story

**A/N: I noticed that I had a review suggesting that I include the issue of imprinting in the story. I mulled that over for a while, and then decided that I would. So yeah, that's covered in here. I also just want to thank all of you for your kind reviews and apologize for the week-long delay on the release of this chapter. I've been weighed down by horrible amounts of school work. So, without further ado, I present to you the 6****th**** chapter!**

**EPOV: **I woke up to see the sun high in the sky. I glanced at my alarm clock. It was eleven. I groaned and struggled into a sitting position. Bella was still asleep.

"Bella?" She remained unmoving. I got up and went to shake her.

"Bella. Wake up. It's late."

"What?"

"I suggest that we get up and prepare for the day, putting into consideration that half of it's already over and done with."

"We slept in?"

"Yes. Until eleven in the morning, to be exact."

She remained where she was, sighing.

"What's wrong?"

"It's nothing. Just a bad dream."

"Tell me what happened."

"You imprinted on someone else."

I stared at her, then sat down beside her, comprehending the realistic worry she was feeling. "Bella, I know one thing for sure. I'm not like other dogs. I don't know how I know that. I just do. It's a strong feeling, but it's somehow more than a feeling."

She stared into my eyes. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that I am not the same as a wolf that was actually meant to be a wolf. I know that I won't imprint. I know I won't be having powerful growth spurts. However, I also know that I do not have the option of quitting this. I was created in a different way, so I'm not surprised."

She relaxed considerably. "Okay. I believe you."

"I'm glad. Now go see Alice. We need to change our clothes. I have what I need here, but Alice will need to give you something to wear." I paused. "Good luck."

She seemed to take it seriously. "Thanks."

I chuckled and walked to my closet.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

**EPOV (Emmet's Point of View): **I sat impatiently on the couch. Where was Edward? I had to get him to hunt with me. I wanted to see the wolf in action. I looked up when I heard him climbing down the stairs, grinning from ear to ear. It was a grin Edward would describe as "one of dangerous proportions." He didn't seem that upset. Just… determined to do something. He looked up at me as he reached the bottom of the stairs.

"Hello, Emmet. Do you know where Carlisle is?"

"He's at the hospital. If you-"

He interrupted me. "Damn."

"What is it?"

"Nothing, I just need to talk to him."

"Um, Edward?"

"What?" He snapped.

"Chill. I was just wondering if you wanted to go with me to hunt some bears," I said, grinning. He couldn't refuse to participate in such a delightful activity.

He sighed. He looked pretty tempted. "I'd like to, but I'd rather not go as a wolf, which leaves me without the means to kill anything."

My face fell. "Aw, come on. I don't see the problem with the whole wolf thing." He glared at me. I noticed his hand, now balled up into a fist, shake slightly. I debated whether or not I should try to provoke him onto changing and attacking me. That would be fun before the others butted in.

I stared at his fist. It kept shaking, getting stronger. He followed my gaze.

"Emmet, I'd like to, but we'll have to do it another time. Today's not a good day."

"Why?" I wasn't giving up that easily.

"I'm going to have someone bite me today. Carlisle is obviously the best one to do it."

I shrugged. "Any of us could do it for you, Edward. Your blood smells bad now. That's the way wolves are." I noticed the shaking take up his whole body. He winced, fighting it. I continued. No need to upset him that much-yet.

"What I meant was that even I could do it. I could resist that blood any day. So we could go hunting and I could bite you afterwards."

He growled. "Gee, thanks."

"Please, brother?"

"No, Emmet. You are not biting me."

"Then… we could go and then come back-"

"I said no. Do _not _make this harder for me than it has to be."

"I'm not stopping until you agree to come." He was still shaking, biting his lip with the effort of not turning into a wolf and ripping me to shreds.

"Please?" I added quietly.

He sighed. "_Fine_. But we have to be back by ten tonight. No exceptions."

"Awesome!" I jumped up and rushed over to hug him before he could make a move to stop me.

"Emmet, get off."

"Oh. Sorry. So when do we leave?"

He sighed. "In an hour. I need to go pick up my car."

"Yes! Okay, but be ready in exactly an hour."

He muttered something under his breath, then turned on his heel and sulked back to meet Bella where I assumed Alice was giving her an extreme makeover.

**JPOV: **I smiled at Alice as she sat there, trying to make Edward's girlfriend look like some sort of model. I tried to sooth Bella, who was apparently under the impression that she was being somehow tortured. Suddenly, I felt rage. It had to be Edward. My guess was that Emmet was confronting him about that hunting trip. Alice had seen it a few hours ago. I tried to calm him. It worked, but only enough to prevent him from phasing. I heard him stomp into the room. Alice looked up at him.

"Edward, what are you doing in here? I'm trying to dress Bella up!" I tapped her shoulder. She turned to me.

"What is it?"

Quietly enough that Edward couldn't hear, I answered. "He's not in the mood for that. Just deal with him for now." She shrugged, turning back to her captive. Edward seemed to have calmed down considerably. I sent him waves of relaxation, trying to completely stop the shaking. He nodded to me.

"Thanks, Jasper." Turning to Alice, he said, "Don't mind me. I'm just waiting for you to return Bella to me."

"You're in luck. She's done now." Bella stood up gratefully and went to hug my brother.

"Thanks. Come on, Bella, let's go."

"Go where?"

"I'll tell you on the way."

He smiled slightly, then he and Bella disappeared. I turned to Alice. She shrugged. "They're going to pick up Edward's car, and then he and Emmet will go hunting."

**BPOV: **I followed Edward to his room, happy to have escaped the torture of a makeover with only lip gloss and a bit of blush to show it. It was better than wearing a bunch of crap on the rest of my face. Edward proceeded to grab a bunch of spare pairs of pants and other clothes, which he stuffed in a backpack. He turned to me, smiling my favorite crooked smile. His eyes twinkled. He seemed oddly happy about something, but at the same time, I could tell that he was annoyed.

"Edward, where are we going?"

"Emmet convinced-no, forced, me to agree to join him on a hunting spree, but I need to pick up my car before that. Do you think you can handle a ride on my back?"

I laughed. "Absolutely."

He grinned, chuckling lightly. "Good. Let's go."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

The wind whistled through my hair. Edward barely seemed to touch the ground as we flew along. We had to stay out of sight, so we stuck to the forests. I ran my fingers through Edward's soft fur. It was beautiful. The same color as his hair, naturally. He growled softly, playfully. I laughed. After a while, we came to a stop. I saw Edward's Volvo through the trees. He crouched down to let me off, and then disappeared with the backpack held between his teeth. A few minutes later, he returned, completely human and wearing a pair of jeans.

He walked up to me and gave me a hug. "Was that fun?" He whispered into my hair. I nodded. I could envision him, smiling my crooked smile. We stood there for a moment before he pulled away. Grabbing my hand, he led me into the Volvo.

"Are you going to drive at a reasonable speed again?"

He smiled, considering it. After a moment, he started the car. "Yeah."


	7. Chapter 7

EPOV: When we got home, Emmet was waiting eagerly on the porch

**A/N: This would be a good cliff-hanger ending, right? Maybe. However, it would be cruel to leave you wondering like that. I'll do another chapter, and then call it done. Of course, remember, it doesn't stop there. I still intend to make that prequel and sequel. )**

**EPOV: **When we got home, Emmet was waiting eagerly on the porch. I waved to him. He grinned. I sighed, then turned to Bella.

"Have fun with Alice. I'll be home around ten." My expression must have been pained, because she smiled and said, "Have fun, and don't spend the whole time worrying about me. I'll be fine. Remember, I'm in a house full of vampires." I chuckled.

Emmet came bouncing up in that two-year old style of his. "Come on, brother. It's a minute to twelve. You promised we'd leave at exactly twelve!"

I grimaced and followed him to his jeep, waving to Bella as I climbed in on the passenger side. She smiled and waved.

For the first bit of the drive, Emmet remained silent. But all good things come to an end.

"So, what's it like, Edward? Being a wolf?"

"Shut up, Emmet."

"Aw, come on. Don't be mad at me."

I sighed. I might as well try to enjoy this, since I was now stuck with Emmet for about ten long, painful hours.

"Fine. I won't, if you can think of something else to talk about."

He remained silent, thinking of something that didn't involve me exploding into a wolf. Too soon, he spoke. "Are you going to eat the bears?"

"Perhaps. I don't know if that's a good idea for me or not. I'll ask Jake once I've phased."

I turned and looked out the window. We were there. I sighed and jumped out of the car. Turning to Emmet, I said, "I'll be right back. I need to go change." He grinned. I could see how excited he was. I grimaced and ran into the woods. When I was out of sight, I focused and felt the odd sensation I was already getting used to. I turned, a wolf, and ran back to where Emmet stood waiting.

I heard him thinking about the taste of the bear blood. In his mind's swollen-shut eye, he was leaping on the back of a bear and ripping its throat out.

_I hate to interrupt your fantasy, but I'm back._ He looked at me, surprised. "Cool, so you really can do that!"

_Yes, Emmet. Now if we have to do this, can we please just get it over with?_

He grinned. "Let's go!" I growled lightly, hoping it would sound exasperated, and tore after him. I got a good distance ahead of him, then called back to him. _Hurry up, Emmet! I'm just beginning to enjoy myself. Don't spoil it by staying so far behind me all the time._

I heard his booming laugh before he appeared suddenly beside me. "I could outrun you any day. Have you asked the other dog if you should eat our catch?"

_Hold on. _I moved my thoughts to Jacob, blocking out all others. I tried to call to him. After a minute, he answered. _Edward, is that you? Why are you a wolf?_ His mind was overflowing with questions, but he asked those. _My brother Emmet took me hunting. He pretty much forced me, actually. We're hunting bears. Can I eat any without having a bad reaction? _He thought for a minute, recalling a few times when he had eaten other animals. _It's fine. Have a good time. _He felt awkward saying that, but I thanked him anyway and backed out of his mind. I turned to Emmet. _I should be able to. I just feel bad. I don't need to kill these animals. It's like hunting for sport. What will Carlisle say when he finds out?_ Emmet shrugged.

"I don't care. Besides, it's just like an over-achieving wolf is hunting for his necessary food. What's the problem?"

_Two things come to mind, Emmet. First of all, why would a wolf be hunting a bear? And secondly, what about you?_ He grinned. "Have you even looked at my eyes lately? They're black." I glanced up at him. Crap, he was right. I decided that I may as well get over it and go hunting, ignoring the fact that he had avoided my first question.

Without another word, I turned away from him and sniffed the air. To my great pleasure, I smelled a bear only about a mile away. I growled and took off running in the direction of the scent. Emmet tried to follow, but, as it always had been, I was able to easily outrun him. I came within sight of the bear. It was a monstrous grizzly. _Nice_, I thought to myself. I was on the brute's back before it could so much as know I was there. I ripped its throat out. Emmet appeared a few yards away, scowling. I stepped away from the grizzly, changing my mind about the whole eating thing.

His black eyes glanced at the blood pouring onto the ground and up to my face. _Take it. I don't want it. _Emmet turned away, but even I could smell the blood, and he finally gave up and went to get a much-needed drink. I drifted into the forest and laid down on a stretch of mossy ground, waiting for Emmet to finish his little meal.

Suddenly, a searing pain electrocuted my head. I yelped, sinking into unconsciousness.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

I was still unconscious. I could tell that much. However, I could hear Emmet's thoughts beside me. I could feel the ground, too. But I couldn't move. Everything was black. Suddenly, I heard Jane's voice.

"Hello, Edward. I see that you've managed to deal with your newest change quite well. Aro thought he'd have me give you a little message. You see, because Carlisle is a good friend of his, he's decided to give you another chance. You have a month. After that, we will come to check on you. Do not disappoint us."

I growled, but it was too late. I was able to move again. I stood up and opened my eyes. Emmet was staring at me. "Edward, you okay? What happened there?"

_Volturi. Jane decided to check in on me. We've got a month. Let's get back to hunting, please. _Emmet laughed and stood up. "'Kay, bro. How about we go home in an hour? Your girlfriend will want to see you."

_Sounds good. I smell a bear just a few miles east of here. Go get 'em. _Emmet didn't need to be told twice. He immediately took off running, laughing as he went.

I got bored waiting, so I contacted Alice, hoping to find out if Bella was okay. Of course she was, but a danger magnet like her needed constant surveillance. _Alice? It's me, Edward._

_Edward? Oh, hi. What's up?_

_Emmet's off tackling a bear, so I decided to check on you, and, more importantly, Bella. Is everything okay?_

_Yes, Edward, everything's fine. Get back to hunting, if you're going to do as you and Emmet just decided and come back in only an hour._

_Alright, alright. Just checking. Can you blame me?_

_Not really, but you are so prone to overreactions. Back off now. I'm giving Bella a makeover._

I sighed inwardly and left her alone. Emmet was back in another minute.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

I could feel the fun of the afternoon wearing off, being replaced by cold, hard dread as we neared the house. I knew half of me wanted to be a vampire again, but another half of me didn't want to be that monster, to bite my love, to endure the three days of blinding pain. I saw Bella's truck waiting outside, so I guessed she was going to try to get me to allow her to stay by me the whole time. I grimaced to myself. I didn't want her to see that.

I leaped out of the car as soon as we had come to a stop. Bella ran up to me. "Edward…. Do you still want to do it tonight? Carlisle said he wouldn't mind…."

"Do you mind?"

"No. I just want you to be happy. Besides, it's your choice." I grabbed her, holding her in place and forcing her to meet my gaze. I could tell that my face held a tortured expression. She winced, tears brimming in her eyes. "Bella," I began softly, "I need to know what's wrong. I won't do it if you don't want me to. Please."

She looked up at me again. "I know you have to do this. I'm just… afraid for you. I know how much it will hurt. I wish it didn't have to be that bad…."

"Bella, I can handle it. I promise. I just don't think you ought to watch…."

Her face quickly became stubborn. "Edward, I _will _stay with you, and you can't do a damn thing about it." Her firmness surprised me.

"Bella, please. It will only disturb you, and-"

She sighed, exasperated. "I don't care. I really want to. Besides, you don't deserve to have to go through that all alone." I saw that arguing with her wasn't going to get me anywhere. "Okay, Bells. I'll let you, but if you get too upset, please remember that it wouldn't hurt me if you left the room." She smiled, running her hand through my hair.

"Thanks." I wiped away her tears, smiling softly but tensely.

Carlisle appeared beside us. "Are you going to stick with it?"

I nodded stiffly, gritting my teeth. "Yes."

**CPOV: **I led the way into Edward's room. I felt very sorry about what I was about to do. Stealing my adopted son's life away again and subjecting him to that pain was unforgivable. It was necessary, though. Bella sat at the head of the bed and Edward sat beside her, shivering.

"Edward," I said softly, putting every ounce of patience into it that I could, "tell me when you're ready." He nodded, extended his wrist, face up, and closed his eyes. I leaned in, slowly sinking my teeth into his wrist. He gasped. I quickly released him. His breathing started coming in gasps, and he suppressed a scream. His eyes were wild. He nodded, a movement hard to notice for all the shaking. I took it to mean that he wanted to be with Bella alone, so I quickly left.

**BPOV: **I put my hand on Edward's forehead. He was screaming, shaking, his eyes full of pain and horror. "Bella." He weakly said my name. A little half-smile spread across his face, but it was quickly overcome with another grimace of pain. My eyes filled with tears. I laid down beside him, pulling him up against me, holding him as if it would shelter him from the pain. He focused on not moving too much. I hugged him tightly. He turned with some effort and hugged me back. He whispered into my ear, gasping with pain. "Thank you-for staying with me." I pulled back enough for us to be face to face. Quickly, I leaned in and kissed him. I felt his tears running down his face, but he kissed me back, still hyperventilating.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Here it is… the last chapter. Coming soon is the sequel, **_**Star-Crossed Lovers**_**. It won't be long, just a few hours, actually, before I post it. I can't wait, to be honest.**

**EPOV: **I gave a final gasp. It had been three long, terrible days. Bella was still beside me. I felt the pain attack my heart, felt it cease to beat, and sat up. Bella stared at my eyes. I realized that they must be a deep red color. I quickly stopped breathing. I knew how bad my self control was now. It was horrible. All those years of careful practice were gone.

"Edward? Are you okay?" I nodded.

"Better than I've been in days."

She nodded. "Are you… thirsty?"

"A bit. But I _think _I can handle it."

"You know what I'm going to ask." I grimaced. "Now? But I just finished. I don't know if I can…."

"I have an idea. Just hold your breath, and we can have someone else hold you to… pull you away if you have any trouble." I nodded. Without taking a breath, I called softly for someone to come. I turned to her. "Do you really want to do it… now?"

"Do you really have to ask?"

"Oh come on, Bella! Aren't you even a little nervous?"

She finally nodded. "Very. But I can handle it just as well as you can."

At that point Emmet and Jasper entered the room. I tried to smile, but I was far too nervous. Jasper sent me calming waves. I ignored that and started talking.

"You know what it is we need you for, right? Alice would have seen it by now and told you." Emmet nodded. "Yeah. She saw that it would be okay. Bella will survive. But… try to stay calm. She saw you kinda lose it…. But it'll be fine." Jasper nudged Emmet in the ribs. I was already panicking again.

"It's fine, Edward. Don't listen to Emmet." He looked past me at a nervous Bella. "You ready?" She nodded. He looked at me. "No, but I may as well do it now."

He gestured towards the bed. Bella touched my face, nothing but trust in her eyes. I smiled weakly. She extended her hand the same way I had. Jasper and Emmet got a firm hold on me, ready to jerk me away if I lost control. I leaned in, silently cursing myself for what I was about to do, and sank my teeth into Bella's skin.

I struggled to pull myself away, the taste of that blood, that delicious blood, in my mouth. Bella put her hand on my arm, meeting my eyes. She nodded, willing me to let go. I pulled away, surprised that I could. She winced as the pain hit her full on. I growled as she cried out, fighting at the hands that held me back. They thought I wanted to attack. Bella continued to writhe on the bed. I was breathing now, and I could smell her blood. It was more potent than it had been the first day I smelled it, but I knew there was no danger of me trying to kill her.

Emmet and Jasper struggled to pull me away, but I got loose and ran to where Bella was screaming my name. I sat down on the bed beside her and stared evenly at my brothers, who realized that all I wanted was to comfort her. Emmet thought to me something about how I would need to come out soon to hunt. I nodded. "Go. I'll come out when Bella allows it."

She looked at me gratefully. I knew my brothers had gone. "Bella, it's okay. Don't worry; it's only three days…." My voice was strained. I growled again as she winced and attempted to smile. "I… I can do it…."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

I smiled wistfully. Bella sat up, face pale, eyes a red only slightly brighter than mine. I groaned. She was like me now. I felt a sob tear through me, shaking my whole body. "Edward? Are you alright?" God, her voice was beautiful. I looked up at her.

"I-I'm just… it's my fault…."

She embraced me. "Edward, I'm fine. We're together forever now. I'm happy. Please will you be, too?" Her eyes were hopeful. I nodded, recovering from my attack of depression. "I love you. I still do. Nothing changes that." It was true, of course. I sighed.

"You feel guilty for this?" She sounded shocked.

"I _am _responsible for it, Bella."

"No, you're not!"

"I am, though."

"Ugh. No, it's not your fault. And what's the point of arguing? I'm a vampire. I'm happy. The end."

"Okay," I agreed. Then something occurred to me. "Wait a minute. I wonder if you have any…." She froze. "Um, actually… yeah."

"What is it?" I thought of a variety of things, all too embarrassingly silly to actually consider. She laughed. I looked up at her. "What?" She giggled.

"Oh. Oops. Nothing." I realized what it was.

"You can read minds??"

She would have blushed, had it been possible. "Yes." She whispered it.

I was incredulous. "So… you can read my mind, but I can't read yours. Correct?"

"Pretty much."

"Oh god. How is that fair?"

"Well, it's not, but I think I like the opportunity." She grinned. I was miffed.

"Why can't I read your mind? It's so frustrating!"

"Sorry, Edward. Maybe you'll pick it up eventually. After all, we've got more than all the time in the world."

"Forget it. Let's just go meet the rest of the family. And then go hunting. I'm thirsty, and you need to drink. We'll just go for some nearby deer."

**APOV: **"They'll be down in-" I stopped midsentence. I knew I was getting a vision. Bella and Edward were talking. "You can read minds??" Bella looked embarrassed. "Yes."

"So… you can read my mind, but I can't read yours. Correct?"

"Pretty much."

"Oh god. How is that fair?"

"Well, it's not, but I think I like the opportunity." Bella was grinning widely at an my angry brother.

"Why can't I read your mind? It's so frustrating!"

"Sorry, Edward. Maybe you'll pick it up eventually. After all, we've got more than all the time in the world."

"Forget it. Let's just go meet the rest of the family. And then go hunting. I'm thirsty, and you need to drink. We'll just go for some nearby deer."

The vision faded. I laughed. "What is it, Alice?" Carlisle smiled at me, curious. I giggled. "Bella has a special ability." Emmet leaped up. "What is it?"

"She can read minds-including our frustrated brother's." Emmet shook with laughter. Everyone else grinned. Edward wouldn't be too happy. I motioned for everyone to be silent. We listened. Upstairs, I could here the argument just finishing up. Then Edward and Bella appeared at the foot of the stairs. Emmet spoke up before anyone could shut him up.

"Edward, are you going to tell us about Bella's ability?" He scowled.

"I think you already know," he said darkly. Bella laughed. "Edward doesn't like that I can hear his thoughts." She smiled teasingly at Edward. He smiled. I guessed he'd get over it pretty soon.

"We're going hunting, but we should be back in an hour or so. We won't be far."

**BPOV: **This was serious fun. Edward was acting so insecure. I read his thoughts as we left. _This is so unfair. Well, at least I'm a dog. Just one way to even it out. Oh, damn. She might be listening. Shit! _I laughed, but I caught myself, cutting myself off mid-laugh. However, I kept listening.

_Bella, don't think I don't know you're listening to me. You should work on that. _I turned to look at him. He was smiling to himself. He looked up at me, his eyes smoldering.

"Fine. I'll leave your thoughts alone for now, but I won't make promises for later."

"No, don't do that. I'm going to go change real quick, so you'll need to be listening to my thoughts. It's the only way we'll be able to communicate."

"Oh. Okay. Go ahead."

I waited for Edward to return. He came back a minute later, his clothes tied to his back leg. _I need to hold them somehow. _I smiled, and we ran together into the forest. It was just as exhilarating as I'd always thought it would be.

**A/N: I know, it's the end of the story. Tell me how it was. )**


End file.
